Team:SZU-China/public engagement
Public Engagement
The head of the 2019 summer camp contacted our school. They wanted to visit the biological research laboratory of the Life Science and Oceanography College. Our University chose to let us show the lab to the high school summer camp students from all parts of China. On August 6, 2019, we received students from summer camp. We chose this year's contest as the background to take them to try biological experiment operation and understand the harm of Mikania micrantha. Because the students at the summer camp come from different grades, many students have not visited the biological laboratory, nor have they known about Mikania micrantha. In order to improve their interest in synthetic biology and awaken their consciousness of killing chamomile and protecting the environment, we chose to introduce the general operation of biological experiments and the harm of the invasive species to the environment.
Many of the students present contacted with the biological laboratory for the first time. Our experiment content is very novel to them. They first saw so many experimental equipment, first ground the leaves of Mikania micrantha, and first learned the method of agar gel electrophoresis. From the conversation with them, we can know that the biological experiment is a fun thing for them.
We introduced Mikania micrantha to the summer camp students. Moreover, we explained that it was an invasive species that caused other plants to die by winding up the climbing plants and secreting allelochemicals. Then we introduced how to accurately identify Mikania micrantha so that they can later distinguish whether the plant in front of them is Mikania micrantha. After learning about the end of the Camomile, the students at the summer camp were surprised by the terrible invasion of our species. They expressed their wish to sacrifice their efforts to remove this invasive species. Therefore, we recommend our applet, which called GREEN Hunter, to them. (click here to see more details about applet) We taught them to use it to help them accurately identify Mikania micrantha in their future life.
Fig.1 Grinding Mikania micrantha leaves
Fig.2 The Photo of Summer Camp
After a day's visit, the students at the summer camp felt that biological experiments were an exciting thing, and some people also wanted to be in the biological industry in the future. Through our introduction, they built a general understanding of our project. Also, they indicated that they would continue to use our GREEN Hunter after their summer camp. They would help us to draw the map (click here to see more details about the map) of Mikania micrantha in the invaded area. This map can help Mikania micrantha prevention and control work is more simple and effective.
Fig.3 Feedback on the Summer Camp
The invasion phenomenon of Mikania micrantha in Shenzhen University is severe. However, the students in the school did not realize this problem, and we intend to let the students understand the harm of Mikania micrantha through volunteer activity. At the same time, Mikania micrantha can be removed from the campus. We worked with the Volunteer Union of Shenzhen University and planned volunteer activities with the theme of “Fight GREEN for More Green.” Due to the spread of chamomile in the city and surrounding areas has been very extensive. Once it planted in a suitable place, it will wrap around the top of the canopy by its high reproductive capacity and adaptability. This feature prevents its photosynthesis from dying. Therefore, to protect the ecological environment of the campus, it is very urgent to eliminate the situation of Mikania micrantha.
Fig.4 Mikania micrantha in the Shenzhen University
On the day before the activity, SZU-China came to the distribution area of Mikania micrantha on campus. We needed to guarantee there are no poisonous snakes nearby. Also, we contacted school security personnel to participate in this volunteer activity to ensure the safety of volunteers on the day of the activity.
Fig.5 Security Guards are Protecting the Safety of Volunteers
On the day of the event, SZU-China first introduced the identification characteristics and hazards of Mikania micrantha to the students participating in the volunteer activity and told them some safety precautions. Then, the students were divided into three groups to carry out the Mikania micrantha clearance activity. We provided technical guidance in the activity. We could answer the problems encountered in the cleaning of Mikania micrantha. After the removal of Mikania micrantha, SZU-China centralized the treatment and inactivation of Mikania micrantha to avoid its re-growth and spread.
Fig.6 Volunteers are using our applet GREEN Hunter
We randomly interviewed several students who participated in the volunteer activity at the start of it. We asked what they knew about Mikania micrantha and what expectations they had for our activity. They think that Mikania micrantha is just a common invasive species and can be removed after a simple extraction. However, after the activity, we interviewed these students again. Everyone has a deeper understanding of Mikania micrantha. They felt that the damage caused by Mikania micrantha is much worse than they imagined. They also felt that it was tough work to remove Mikania micrantha artificially. During the activity, they removed a lot of Mikania micrantha and enjoyed the joy of giving their strength to protect the environment.
The students said that even after the volunteer activity ended, they would pull Mikania micrantha out when they saw it someday. What is more, they would join us in promoting the importance of the extraction of Mikania micrantha for protecting the environment. This promise has enabled us to publicize the hazards of Mikania micrantha and call on people to work together to eliminate it. We are further away from the goal of protecting the environmental diversity of the areas invaded by Mikania micrantha. At the same time, SZU-China has also obtained many new coordinates of Mikania micrantha at Shenzhen University. These coordinates can help us draw the distribution map of Mikania micrantha in Shenzhen University, to control Mikania micrantha more pertinently.
Fig.7 The Photos of Volunteer Activity
Fig.8 Feedback of Volunteer Activity in Social Media
Fig.9 Feedback of Volunteer Activity in Social Media
Every year, Shenzhen University organizes corresponding environmental volunteer activities in the group of teachers. When we learn about this, we feel that this is a volunteer activity closely related to the significance of SZU-China's project this year. Because the teachers of Shenzhen University have a vast knowledge reserve, we choose to inform the teachers of Shenzhen University of our ideas. We offered a theme for their environmental volunteer activities this year.
After that, SZU-China explained to the teachers about the harmfulness of Mikania micrantha, and we emphasized that it was an invasive plant. Then we suggested that the theme of this year's environmental volunteer activities could be the removal of Mikania micrantha. Then we recommended our applet to help teachers identify and remove the environmental volunteer activities Mikania micrantha, to better complete this environmental volunteer activity. Finally, the teachers adopted our proposal and carried out this year's environmental volunteer activities on the theme of eliminating Mikania micrantha.
Teachers carried out activities to remove plant killer Mikania micrantha and garbage in Yantian Binhai Greenway. They identified and labeled Mikania micrantha using the applet made by SZU-China, and then removed it to provide accurate data for the specific distribution of Mikania micrantha. The results of this activity collected 386 identification confirmations and saved 83 new coordinate points. We obtained many distribution data of Mikania micrantha.
This activity provided SZU-China with much data to understand the growth and distribution of Mikania micrantha and accumulated a lot of pictures and coordinate materials. It also made teachers understand the environmental harm caused by this invasive plant, Mikania micrantha.
Teachers were shocked to see the "horrible green" scenes of Mikania micrantha twining around various plants. They felt that it was tough to clean up the Mikania micrantha. It not only needed to remove the Mikania micrantha completely but also could not hurt its epiphytic plants. This job required a circle by circle to unravel the Mikania micrantha. Chrysanthemum is entangled and carefully separated from its epiphytes. Teachers also needed to pick out and collect the omitted Mikania micrantha to prevent its re-emergence. The teachers who involved in the cleaning up thought it was a significant environmental protection activity. After consultation, they decided to continue the theme of eliminating Mikania micrantha. They wanted to achieve the ecological balance of Shenzhen by keeping carrying out the environmental protection activities of eliminating Mikania micrantha.
Fig.10 Horrible Green.
Fig.11 Teachers are eliminating Mikania micrantha and using our applet
Fig.12 Mikania micrantha is twining around various plants
We were surprised by the results and excited about the project that started this year but not ended this year. We look forward to more people participating in it, not only to help us, but also to help themselves and protect the local ecological environment.
Through this activity, more and more people understand the harm of micrantha, which is a step closer to our ultimate goal of "clearing the Mikania micrantha in China." We believe that the protection of the ecological needs the collective efforts of everyone, and hope that more and more people will join us and fight for our beautiful living environment. Let’s Fight GREEN for More Green!
